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Health & Fitness

Vegan Stir-Fry Puts a Rainbow on Your Plate

A recipe with fruit and vegetables in a variety of colors not only makes a visually appealing dish, but also ensures a plateful of many important nutrients, according to the Produce for Better Health Foundation. What’s more, getting most of yournutrition from plant sources helps to achieve and maintain healthy weight and reduces the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and Type 2 diabetes.

Vegetable and Bean Stir-Fry with Brown Rice boasts a selection of fresh vegetables in assorted colors, fresh orange for tang, plus chick peas and brown rice for hearty,heart-healthy fiber. South Oaks Hospital chefs Paul Jacobs and Melanie Davidow created the vegan stir-fry with Sofia Gourlides, RD, and Rebecca Spirn, dietetic intern, for North Shore-LIJ’s 2014 Ultimate Chef Challenge.

Preparation time: 20 minutes. Cooking time: 25 minutes.

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Serves 4. Serving size: 1 cup of vegetable stir fry, ½ cup brown rice.

Per serving: 271 calories, 2 grams of fat, and 342 mg of sodium.

Ingredients, Vegetable and Bean Stir-Fry:

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1 ½ cups, Daikon radish, julienned
1 cup, Chick peas (Garbanzo beans)
1 cup, Zucchini, thinly sliced
1 cup, Brown rice
½ cup, Scallions
1 Tbsp, Garlic, minced
¾ Tbsp, “Lite” soy sauce
½ tsp, Ginger, peeled and shaved
¼ tsp, Red chili flakes
1 each, Large carrot, julienned
1 each, Red pepper, thinly sliced
1 each, Green pepper, julienned
1 each, Orange, sliced
1 each, Yellow squash, thinly sliced
1 each, Medium broccoli florets (stalk removed)
3 seconds, Non-stick cooking spray
1 dash, Salt

Directions, Vegetable and Bean Stir Fry:

  1. Spray stir fry pan with nonstick spray and pre-heat.
  2. Sauté garlic and ginger.
  3. Add chick peas (garbanzo beans) to stir fry pan and cook.
  4. Add radish to pan and stir fry.
  5. Add hot pepper flakes to stir fry, mix and cook.
  6. Add vegetables to pan and mix; add soy sauce to pan, continue to stir fry until cooked tender.

Directions, Brown Rice:

Cook brown rice with a dash of salt.

Serving instructions:

  1. Arrange two scallion strips with orange slices on top on one side of plate.
  2. Divide rice evenly between the four plates.
  3. Arrange stir-fry next to the rice, ensuring each plate gets a variety of colorful vegetables.
This post was written by Nancy Copperman, RD, corporate director of public health initiatives in the office of community and public health at the North Shore-LIJ Health System.

For more North Shore-LIJ Health Blog posts, go to http://blog.northshorelij.com/ 

Contents of the health blog are the property of North Shore-LIJ Health System and are provided as a health resource for consumers, health care professionals and members of the media. The medical content on the North Shore-LIJ Health Blog is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for consultation with your physician regarding diagnosis, treatment or any other form of specific medical advice. These materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "North Shore-LIJ Health System," "North Shore-LIJ," "northshorelij.com," "VivoHealth," their related entities and logos are trademarks of the North Shore-LIJ Health System. Copyright © 2011 North Shore-LIJ Health System. All rights reserved.

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